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Byzantine (Civ5)
The Byzantine civilization appears in Civilization V: Gods & Kings expansion. *'Musical Theme:' Phos Hilaron (composed by Geoff Knorr) *'Music Set:' European *'Architecture:' Mediterreanean *'Preferred Religion:' Christianity (G&K) or Eastern Orthodoxy (BNW) Strategy The Byzantines are a versatile civilization. On one side, they have the most powerful early game naval vessel - the Dromon. On the other side, they're the only civilization that can have 6 beliefs in their religion, instead of the usual 5 (excluding the Reformation Belief). The Bonus Belief for the Byzantines can be either a Founder Belief, a Follower Belief, or an Enhancer Belief. To take maximum advantage of these features, develop them as a religious civilization. Research Pottery first, then build a Shrine to kick-start your Faith production, then try to form a full religion and enhance it quickly to have maximum choice of Beliefs. Tailor your Religion so as to fit the type of victory you want. More importantly, you will also have to develop the Piety Social Policy tree, which will maximize the power of your religion. Put your secondary focus on seafaring. Use the early ranged power of the Dromon and the heavy Cataphract mounted unit to attack coastal cities of other civilizations and enlarge your empire early on. If you decide to take the Byzantines along the cultural route, pick up World Church and use the second Founder Belief slot for Pilgrimage. After that, you can use the enhanced belief to pick up Holy Order. This allows for the religion to spread itself and remain strong through Missionaries and Inquisitors. With the new changes in Brave New World, the Byzantines are capable of getting an even earlier start on their faith boom. This can be accomplished by rushing the Piety tree which is now open for policies beginning in the Ancient Era. This will allow you to secure your first Great Prophet rather quickly. Civiliopedia Entry (Byzantium) History Existing for more than 1,000 years, the Byzantine Empire, centered in the legendary city of Constantinople, was initially formed as the eastern seat of power for the mighty Roman Empire which was split into Eastern and Western. Located on the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, Constantinople easily became the world's trading center and the primary trade hub in the region. Due to its strategic location, and as the center of Orthodox Christianity, Constantinople flourish despite the internal conflicts that led to the decline of Rome in the west. Inspired by number of memorable rulers, the Byzantine Empire was also a source of great cultural growth along the eastern Mediterranean, its affluence allowing for grand displays of art, architecture, science, religion, and music. The Byzantine Empire's official language was first the Latin and later changed to Greek, which was the lingua franca in Eastern Mediterranean. Geography and Climate Before the arrival of Constantine in 330AD, the city of Constantinople was known as Byzantium, a small Greek colony founded in the 7th century BC. Strategically placed along the Bosphorus, the only waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean (via the Marmara and Aegean Seas), this site would prove to be the ideal location for a larger settlement. Protected by water on three sides, Constantinople solidified a nearly impenetrable system of defence with the construction of its legendary walls. Despite the ebb and flow of territories controlled by the empire, the prosperity of the Byzantines could always be attributed to the wisely selected location of Constantinople. Today, the city is known as Istanbul, a megacity located in Turkey with a population of over 13 million people. Outside of their renowned capital, the vast expanses of territory controlled by the Byzantine featured a diverse geography. At its peak, the empire primarily held regions surrounding the Mediterranean, featuring a subtropical climate with warm, humid summers followed by moderate winters. Related Achievements List of city names *Constantinople (modern day İstanbul, capital of İstanbul Province, Turkey) *Adrianople (modern day Edirne, capital of Edirne Province, Turkey) *Nicaea (modern day İznik, Bursa Province, Turkey) *Antioch (modern day Antakya, capital of Hatay Province, Turkey) *Varna (capital of Varna Province, Bulgaria) *Ohrid *Nicomedia (modern day İzmit, capital of Kocaeli Province, Turkey) *Trebizond (modern day Trabzon, capital of Trabzon Province, Turkey) *Cherson *Sardica (modern day Sofia, capital of Bulgaria) *Ani *Dyrrachium (modern day Durrës, capital of Durrës County, Albania) *Edessa (modern day Şanlıurfa, capital of Şanlıurfa Provnce, Turkey) *Chalcedon *Naissus *Bari (capital of Puglia Region, Italy) *Iconium (modern day Konya, capital of Konya Province, Turkey) *Prilep *Samosata (modern day Samsat, Adıyaman Province, Turkey) *Kars (capital of Kars Province, Turkey) *Nicopolis *Theodosiopolis *Tyana (modern day Kemerhisar, Niğde Province, Turkey) *Gaza (largest city in the Palestinian Territories) *Kerkyra (Corfu in English; capital of Iónioi Nísoi Region, Greece) *Phoenice (modern day Finiq, Vlorë County, Albania) *Selymbria (modern day Silivri, İstanbul Province, Turkey) *Sillyon *Chrysopolis *Vodena (modern day Édessa, Kentrikí Makedonía Region, Greece) *Caesarea Maritima *Traianoupoli *Constantia (modern day Constanța, capital of Constanța County, Romania) *Athens (shared with Greece, not buildable if they are in-game) *Patra (capital of Dytikí Ellás Region, Greece) *Korinthos (Corinth in English)